Ear-closing device.



M. E. HEGGE.

BAR CLOSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGA, 1910.

Patented July 11, 1911.

I SM2/Moz. h/fzz/Zjy MARTIN E. HEGGE, 0F SISSETON, SOUTH DAKOTA.

' EAR-CLOSING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented l'uli,r 11, 19H.

Application tiled August 4, 1910. Serial No. 575,483.

Sisseton, in the county of Roberts and State of South Dakota, h ave invented new and useful Improvements in Ear-Closing Devices, ot4 which the following is a specification. j

This invention relates to a device adapted to be applied to the ears of those persons such as students for instance, who are distracted by conversation or other sounds and noises, and the invention relates more particularly to device of that typehavingmeans for closing the auditory passages of the ears.

The invention has for one of its objects to improve and simplify the construction of devices of this character so as to be comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, reliable and etlicient in use, and readily adjusted for use by different persons so that it will set comfortably on the head.

Another object of the invention is the provisionof a head band composed of adjustable parts so that the band can be enlarged or contracted according to the size of the users head, the ends of the band having adjustable ear plugs and ear covers or cups so that they can be set to fit the ears of the user.

With these objects in view and others, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises the various novel features of vconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing, which Referring to the drawing, A designates' the' head band, which is approximately semicircular, to fit over the top of the head in approximately a vertical plane. This band is made of flat aluminum or steel strip metal and is. composed of two` sections 1 and 2, which are adjustably connected at the mid dle of the'band. The inner ends of the sections are eut awa longitudinally so as to leave members V3 disposed in overla ping relation to each other, and these memiiers have rack teeth`4 with which meshes a pinion 5 so arranged that by turningthe inion, the sections of the band can be move( inwardly or outwardly to thereb change the dimension of the band to suit heads of different sizes. The members 3 have guide loops or eyes 6 so that the members can slide back and forth in parallel relation. The outer extremities of the bands are provided with L-shaped members 7 that carry the plugs 8 for the auditory passages. and the cups or covers 9 for the ears. These members 7 'maybe made of aluminum or other wire and connected with the ends of the band in any suitable. manner. On the horizontal portions 10 of the members 7 are' threaded tubular pieces 1l which can be adjusted longitudinally by turning them, each piece havmg a. milled flange or wheel 12 for facilitatingl the turning thereof by the fingers. 0n the extremity of each tubular piece 11, the sot' t rubber plug 8 is fastened, the plug being held on by the external threads 13 of the tubular piece. The cup 9 that incloses the plug 8 may be made of a rubber body rein forced by a wire or other skeleton frame 14, and the center of this cup or ear cover is provided with an opening 15 that is internally threaded to engage the screw threads 13 of the' tubular piece. By turning the tubular piece 11, the plug 8 and cup 9 can be moved inwardly or outwardly so as to snugly tit. the ear of the user, and the cup can be independently adjusted by turning it around on the tubular piece 11 while the latter is held stationary, and in this Way the cup can he properly positioned independently of the plug 8. The band A is provided With a leather or brown canvas covering 16. The coveringis in the form of a flat tube to conform to the shape of the band and the covering may be made in two' parts to correspond with the sections 1 and 2 of the band and thus allow for the adjustment of the latter.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing` the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled'in the art to which the invention appertains, and while l have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which l now consider to be th-e best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and thatvsuch changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what T claim as new, is

1. A device of the class described comprising a head band composed of sections overlapping each other at an intermediate portion of the band and havin"F their outer ends extending toward each other in aline- Iment and threaded, rack teeth 011 the overlapping portions of said sections, a pinion meshing with the teeth for adjusting the sections, ear cups screwed on the threaded extremities of the sections and adjustable thereon, and -ear plugs screwed on the threaded extremities and arrangedv Within the cups, said plue" and adjacent inclosino' cup being separatey or simultaneously a justable on a common axis. A

2. A device of lthe class "deseribed'eomprising a head band havino its extremities disposed in alinement and threaded, a sleeve threaded oneaeh extremity of the band, an ear cup carried by and threaded on and adjustable longitudinally of each sleeve, and

an ear plug threaded 011 the extremity of` sition ot" the plug inwardly or outwardly in` the surrounding eup.

3. A deviee of theelass described comprising a. head band composed of arcuate sections having overlapping ends, o polsitely-disposed raek teeth on the over appmg ends, a pinion meshing with'the rack teeth, means for turning the pnuon, and sound-excluding devices on the-extremities of the band adapted to be applied to the ears.

of the user.

In testimony whereof I atix my signature in presence of two witnesses. y

` MARTIN E. HEGGE. Witnesses JonN C. PERKINS,

J. M. MonmLL. 

